Insights from present distribution of an alpine mammal Royle’s pika (Ochotona roylei) to predict future climate change impacts in the Himalaya

Bhattacharyya, Sabuj; Mungi, Ninad Avinash; Kawamichi, Takeo; Rawat, G. S.; Adhikari, Bhupendra Singh; Wilkening, Jennifer L.

doi:10.1007/s10113-019-01556-x

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…These results are consistent with species distribution models predicted for future habitat loss in certain species e.g. O. roylei (Bhattacharyya et al 2019). Although Asian Pikas currently have “Least Concern” status on IUCN red list (IUCN 2022), our results indicate that the need for effective management and monitoring practices are being essential.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Despite being one of the most abundant species in the high-altitude regions of Himalaya and Qinghai Tibetan Plateau (QTP), studies on these Asian pikas are limited, which may be critically important, first of all, to understand their population dynamics and also for their management and conservation (Palsboll et al 2007). Of the six Asian pikas species reported from the Himalayas (Dahal et al 2020), ecology and genetics of only two species – O. curzoniae and O. roylei have been explored (Bhattacharyya et al 2013, 2014, 2019; Qu et al 2017). However, these studies were limited to understanding the relative abundance of these species as a correlate of habitat type and climatic variables.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genomic Variation, Population Structure, and Gene Flow across Asian Pikas

Dahal

Romine

Khatiwada

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Asian pikas have one of the most complex systematics and evolutionary history. The Himalayas is an important habitat for Asian pikas as it hosts 23-25% of pika global diversity and has provided the ancestral training ground for local adaptation to high altitudes. They are one of the most abundant species in the Himalayas and Qinghai Tibetan Plateau (QTP), however genetic studies to explore their population structure and evolution are limited. Here, we utilize a population genomics approach using ~28,000 genome-wide SNP markers obtained from restriction-site associated DNA sequencing in six species of Asian Pikas (Ochotona spp.) that are distributed across the Himalayas and neighboring high-altitude mountains. We examined intra- and inter-species genetic diversity, population structure, phylogenetic history and explored processes that shaped the current genetic diversity of Pikas across the Himalayas. We identified low nucleotide diversity and high inbreeding coefficient across all species which possibly indicated decreasing population size in these species. We also identified extensive evidence of gene flow (both historic and contemporary) across these species. Our findings indicate that inter-species gene flow is a key evolutionary process that has been countering the negative effect of low genetic diversity among Asian pikas.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genomic Variation, Population Structure, and Gene Flow across Asian Pikas

Dahal

Romine

Khatiwada

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…The behavior and ecology of pikas appears to vary greatly throughout their range in response to environmental factors like elevation and temperature (Smith et al 2016;Varner et al 2016;Bhattacharyya et al 2019a). Data from all parts of a species' range are vital for understanding their response to threats such as climate change and land use change (Bhattacharyya et al 2019b). There is a large gap in our knowledge of the basic ecology and biology of many species present in China.…”

Section: Endemism and Regional Biasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thick snow cover can also act as an insulating layer for both pikas and their food (Bhattacharyya et al 2014b), reducing temperature fluctuations and preventing them from depleting their energy reserves through excessive thermoregulation. Changes in snow cover and snowmelt patterns have been implicated in restricting gene flow, food availability, and decreased abundance and niche availability in O. roylei Bhattacharyya et al 2019b), as well as in population declines and delayed parturition in collared pika O. collaris (Nelson, 1893) (Morrison & Hik 2007). Duration and amount of snow cover is an important determinant of soil nutrient quality in alpine regions, and can influence plant growth.…”

Section: Climate Changementioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, this study relied on excessively small sample sizes (e.g. models of O. roylei range contraction were based on just 22 presence records), and misclassified some suitable habitat types as unsuitable (Bhattacharyya et al 2019b). Pikas' responses to climate change can vary significantly between species and locations (Bhattacharyya et al 2019a).…”

Section: Climate Changementioning

confidence: 99%

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The pikas of China: a review of current research priorities and challenges for conservation

Lambert

Zhang²,

Shi

et al. 2022

Integr. Zool.

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Of the approximately 30 extant species of pika (Ochotona; Ochotonidae; Lagomorpha), at least 23 occur in China. Of these, 8 are endemic, and 3 are classified as Endangered by the IUCN. Research into most Chinese species is scarce, and there is much to learn about basic aspects of their ecology. We reviewed the literature on the 23 Chinese Ochotona species, with the aim of highlighting knowledge gaps and biases in research allocation. Specifically, we identify (1) which pika species receive the most attention from researchers, (2) which topics are the most frequently studied, and (3) how well research satisfies conservation priorities. We covered a total of 879 articles, most of which were written in English or Chinese. Around 75% of all publications focused on the plateau pika Ochotona curzoniae. Seven species were represented by 10 or fewer publications each. Endangered and endemic species were particularly poorly represented. 204 papers treated pikas as a pest, while 13 studied conservation issues. Nine species were considered possible targets for pest control, including some poorly known endemics. We make some recommendations on how research into Chinese Ochotona could be improved, including: (1) recognizing that the current species‐level taxonomy may be an ineffective way to prioritize conservation research in Ochotona, (2) directing more research toward threatened and endemic species, subspecies, and populations, (3) researching the ecosystem engineering effects of pikas, (4) collecting basic data on natural history of the many understudied species, and (5) researching threats, including climate change and pest control campaigns.

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Gene flow drives genomic diversity in Asian Pikas distributed along the core and range‐edge habitats in the Himalayas

Dahal

Romine

Khatiwara

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Studying the genetic variation among different species distributed across their core and range‐edge habitats can provide valuable insights into how genetic variation changes across the species' distribution range. This information can be important for understanding local adaptation, as well as for conservation and management efforts. In this study, we have carried out genomic characterization of six species of Asian Pikas distributed along their core and range‐edge habitats in the Himalayas. We utilized a population genomics approach using ~28,000 genome‐wide SNP markers obtained from restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing. We identified low nucleotide diversity and high inbreeding coefficients in all six species across their core and range‐edge habitats. We also identified evidence of gene flow among genetically diverse species. Our results provide evidence of reduced genetic diversity in Asian pikas distributed across the Himalayas and the neighboring regions and indicate that recurrent gene flow is possibly a key mechanism for maintaining genetic diversity and adaptive potential in these pikas. However, full‐scale genomics studies that utilize whole‐genome sequencing approaches will be needed to quantify the direction and timing of gene flow and functional changes associated with introgressed regions in the genome. Our results represent an important step toward understanding the patterns and consequences of gene flow in species, sampled at the least studied, yet climatically vulnerable part of their habitat that can be further used to inform conservation strategies that promote connectivity and gene flow between populations.

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Insights from present distribution of an alpine mammal Royle’s pika (Ochotona roylei) to predict future climate change impacts in the Himalaya

Cited by 15 publications

References 76 publications

Genomic Variation, Population Structure, and Gene Flow across Asian Pikas

Genomic Variation, Population Structure, and Gene Flow across Asian Pikas

The pikas of China: a review of current research priorities and challenges for conservation

Gene flow drives genomic diversity in Asian Pikas distributed along the core and range‐edge habitats in the Himalayas

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